This invention discloses an adjustable mounting assembly which finds particular use for supporting components which must be aligned with respect to three axes and, in particular, to a mounting assembly for optical components which permits the components to be precisely aligned along three axes, i.e. with six degrees of freedom. Optical components, for example mirrors used in telescopes or high power laser systems or other optical systems must frequently be mounted using a mounting arrangement which permits the alignment of the supported optical component to be adjusted relative to other components in the system. Frequently, the extent of the adjustment required to align the system's components is small yet, this adjustment in alignment may be critical to insure the operation of the optical system at its maximum efficiency. The alignment problem becomes especially important if adjustment to the position of the supported optical component along more than one axis is required. For example, an aspheric mirror which is being aligned for use in a high power laser system may require alignment in the tip and tilt axes as well as rotation of the mirror about its optical axis. It may also require adjustment of its focus, i.e., movement along its optical axis toward or away from other optical components within the system. The problems associated with providing an adjustable mount for optical components which will permit adjustments such as those described above become more difficult to overcome if the supported optical component is heavy i.e., weighs tens of pounds rather then only a few pounds, and is subject to vibration, such as optical systems which are intended for deployment on aircraft or for launching into space.
Some prior known adjustable mounting systems have relied on the use of a cement or epoxy to lock the support mechanism for an optical component to prevent vibrations from changing the alignment of the optical component once the component was properly aligned. However, such systems, even if they permit all of the adjustments to the optical component described above, still suffer from the need to break the cement or epoxy seal holding the components of the mounting system to effect further changes to the alignment of the supported optical component. Not only is this an inconvenient task to perform, but it also raises the possibility of contaminating the various components of the optical system with particles of cement or epoxy which enter the system after the cement or epoxy seals restraining the mounting components from movement due to vibration are broken. Thus it can be appreciated that there is a need for a mounting system for optical components which will permit adjustments to be made to the alignment of the supported optical component with six degrees of freedom and which will retain its setting without the use of epoxy when the optical component is subject to vibration. Ideally, such a mounting system will also permit subsequent repositioning of the optical component along the component's three axes.